Eighty-five years after a tragic accident at Elwick claimed his life at just 32, jockey Harold Charles Coutts has finally taken his place in the Tasmanian Racing Hall of Fame.
Harold Coutts was inducted into the Tasmanian Racing Hall of Fame at the Tasmanian Thoroughbred Racing Awards at Wrest Point on Friday, September 18 — recognition of a remarkable riding career that was tragically cut short in 1941.
For modern racing followers, Coutts may not be a familiar name. But delve into the newspaper archives of the 1930s and a very different picture emerges.
Coutts was one of Tasmania’s most prominent jockeys, riding 226 winners in the state during a career spanning little more than 11 years.
He was successful, respected and, according to contemporary reports, immensely popular with the racing public.
Born in Victoria in 1908, Harold Charles Coutts was the son of Donald Coutts and Ellen May “Nellie” Bradley. His father died in 1913 when Harold was still a young boy.
Coutts arrived in Tasmania in 1929 and quickly established himself among the state’s leading riders.
In his very first season, 1929-30, he rode 20 winners to finish third on the Tasmanian jockeys’ premiership.
There was further improvement the following season when he rode 22 winners and finished second in the premiership.
Then came his breakthrough.
In 1931-32 Coutts rode 32 winners, comfortably securing the jockeys’ premiership by an extraordinary 17 wins from runner-up W. Bevis.
It was the high point of a remarkably consistent period in which Coutts regularly ranked among Tasmania’s leading jockeys.
Across his Tasmanian career, Coutts rode 226 winners, 171 seconds and 176 thirds — 573 top-three finishes in all.
His season-by-season record underlines that consistency.
In addition to his premiership-winning 32 victories in 1931-32, Coutts rode 23 winners the following season, 21 in 1934-35 and 24 in 1936-37.
From his arrival in Tasmania until the end of the 1939-40 season, he never rode fewer than 12 winners in a completed season.
He was also entrusted with mounts in Tasmania’s biggest races, recording placings in both the Hobart and Launceston Cups during his career.
But statistics tell only part of the Harold Coutts story.
Contemporary newspaper reports following his death provide an insight into the regard in which he was held by the Tasmanian racing community.
One described Coutts as “one of Tasmania’s most prominent and popular jockeys”, while noting that he was known to thousands of racegoers throughout the state.
His reputation extended well beyond his ability in the saddle.
Reports praised his horsemanship and the fairness with which he competed, qualities which earned him the respect of fellow jockeys, trainers and owners.
He was also regarded as one of the cleverest riders in a race in Tasmania.
Sadly, a career that had begun in the state in 1929 would end in tragic circumstances at Elwick on New Year’s Day 1941.
Tragedy at Elwick
Coutts was aboard a racehorse shortly before the start of a race at Elwick on January 1 when the horse reared and fell backwards.
Coutts was pinned between the horse and a railing.
Dr V. R. Ratten examined the injured jockey in the racecourse casualty room and formed the opinion that Coutts had suffered serious crushing injuries to his lungs.
He ordered that Coutts be transferred to the Royal Hobart Hospital.
Despite surviving the initial accident, Coutts’ condition ultimately proved fatal.
He died in hospital on January 13, 1941, leaving behind his wife and three children.
He was just 32 years old.
A subsequent coronial inquiry formally linked his death to the Elwick accident.
Coroner Col. J. P. Clark found that injuries Coutts received in the accident before the start of the race at Elwick on January 1 had contributed to his death 12 days later.
It brought a desperately sad end to the career and life of one of Tasmania’s finest jockeys of his era.
In another poignant detail, Coutts’ final victory had come less than two months earlier.
Source The Examiner & The Mercury via Trove
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